The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released August 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) today. Highlights are as follows (all indexes are on a seasonally unadjusted basis):
- All items rose 0.3% in the last month and increased 3.4% in the last twelve months
- All items, less food and energy, increased 0.3% since July and rose 2.4% from August 2025
- New vehicles rose 0.1% in the last month and increased 0.6% in the last twelve months
- Used cars + trucks saw no change from July and fell 2.3% from August 2025
- Motor vehicle parts + equipment saw no change in the last month and increased 0.9% in the last twelve months
- Food at home saw no change since July and rose 2.2% from August 2025
- Cereals + bakery products fell 0.2% in the last month and increased 2.6% in the last twelve months
- Meats, poultry, fish + eggs rose 0.3% since July and increased 1.1% from August 2025
- Dairy + related products increased 0.3% in the last month and decreased 0.3% in the last twelve months
- Fruits + vegetables fell 0.6% from July and rose 3.2% since August 2025
- Other foods decreased 0.3% and increased 2.1% in the last twelve months
- Gasoline (all types) rose 2.5% since July and increased 27.4% from August 2025
- Apparel increased 1.9% in the last month and rose 3.6% in the last twelve months
- Medical care commodities fell 0.2% from July and decreased 2.7% since August 2025
- Alcoholic beverages rose 0.1% in the last month and increased 1.6% in the last twelve months
- Tobacco + smoking products increased 0.6% since July and rose 6.3% from August 2025
- Personal care products rose 0.2% in the last month and increased 2.9% in the last twelve months
BLS CPI Historical Annual Inflation Rate Averages Through August 2026 Table for Selected Categories:
| BLS CPI Code | BLS CPI Category Description | 1M 8/26 | 1Y 8/26 | 3Y 8/26 | 5Y 8/26 | 10Y 8/26 | 20Y 8/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAF | FOOD & BEVERAGES | 0.1% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 4.5% | 3.4% | 2.9% |
| SAF11 | Food at home | 0.0% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 4.4% | 3.0% | 2.6% |
| SAF114 | Nonalcoholic beverages & beverage materials | 0.2% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 2.4% |
| SEFN | Juices & nonalcoholic drinks | 0.4% | 3.5% | 2.2% | 5.0% | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| SEFN01 | Carbonated drinks | 1.9% | 4.4% | 2.8% | 5.4% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| SEFN03 | Nonfrozen noncarbonated juices & drinks | -1.0% | 3.2% | 1.4% | 4.5% | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| SEFP | Beverage materials including coffee & tea | -0.3% | 4.0% | 5.3% | 6.4% | 3.4% | 2.4% |
| SEFP01 | Coffee | -0.9% | 6.1% | 7.9% | 8.3% | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| SEFP02 | Other beverage materials including tea | 1.1% | 0.4% | 2.2% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| SAF115 | Other food at home | -0.2% | 2.4% | 1.4% | 4.9% | 3.1% | 2.6% |
| SEFT06 | Other miscellaneous foods | -0.9% | 3.6% | 1.4% | 4.8% | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| SEFW | Alcoholic beverages at home | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| SEFW01 | Beer, ale & other malt beverages at home | 0.2% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| SEFW02 | Distilled spirits at home | -0.3% | -0.7% | 0.4% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| SEFW03 | Wine at home | 0.3% | -1.1% | -0.4% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| SEHE | FUEL OIL & OTHER FUELS | 5.5% | 30.2% | 6.3% | 9.4% | 7.6% | 3.2% |
| SAH3 | HOUSEHOLD FURNISHINGS & OPERATIONS | -0.1% | 2.0% | 1.7% | 3.4% | 2.6% | 1.0% |
| SAA | APPAREL | 1.9% | 3.6% | 1.4% | 2.4% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| SAM1 | MEDICAL CARE COMMODITIES | -0.2% | -2.7% | -0.2% | 1.5% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| SEMF | Medicinal drugs | -0.4% | -2.7% | -0.3% | 1.4% | 0.8% | |
| SEMF01 | Prescription drugs | 0.0% | -2.9% | -0.1% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 8.3% |
| SEMF02 | Nonprescription drugs | -1.2% | -2.0% | -0.7% | 2.3% | 1.1% | |
| SEMG | Medical equipment and supplies | 1.0% | -2.3% | 0.0% | 2.7% | 1.0% | |
| SAR | RECREATION | 0.0% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| SEEA | EDUCATIONAL BOOKS & SUPPLIES | -0.7% | 1.1% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| SEGA | TOBACCO & SMOKING PRODUCTS | 0.6% | -93.3% | -57.4% | -38.4% | -19.5% | -7.4% |
| SEGB | PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS | 0.2% | 2.9% | 1.4% | 3.0% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| SEGE | MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL GOODS | -0.6% | 3.6% | 1.1% | 2.7% | 1.5% | 0.2% |
| SAG | OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES | 0.1% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 3.7% | 3.2% |
| SERE | Other recreational goods | -1.6% | 2.5% | -0.1% | 0.3% | -2.4% | -3.3% |
| SERG | Recreational reading materials | 2.9% | 4.2% | 3.0% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.0% |